Textile treating chambers



Nov. 15, 1966 c. VALLS TEXTILE TREATING CHAMBERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 13, 1964 FIGJ l/ M FIG} 65 Nov. 15, 1966 c. VALLS TEXTILE TREATING CHAMBERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 13, 1964 United States Patent 3,285,041 TEXTILE TREATING CHAMBERS Conrado Valls, Couseio de Ciento 401, 3, 2 Barcelona, Spain Filed Mar. 13, 1964, Ser. No. 351,815 Claims priority, application Spain, Mar. 26, 1963,

8 Claims. (c1. 68-181) This invention relates to improved techniques in the treatment of textile articles and to improvements in treatment chambers for the treatment of textile articles in a continuous operation with treating fluid. The chambers are conferred with extended ranges of application with all classes of textile fibers in whatever state, be it in the form of yarn, fabric or flock.

These improvements contribute important advantages to the quality of the finished textile with reference to economy in raw materials and time employed in treatment, and the improvements are applicable to all classes of wet or water treatments, such as washing, scouring, bleaching, dyeing, drying, oxidizing and the like.

These improvements therefore are applicable to all classes of textile treatments in which a physical or chemical action of the fluid on the textile is contemplated. The fluid may be a solution, an emulsion, a liquid dispersion, or the like, and may be air, gas or vapor or any other type of fluid.

In present-day known processes the textile articles possesses notable deficiencies due to exclusive reliance of the action of the liquid or solution on the textile article, without satisfactorily solving the question of intimate and regular contact between the fiuid and the textile resulting in an excessive consumption of the fluid. By present-day known processes it has been heretofore practically impossible to make full use of the physio-chemical characteristics of the treatment bath with relation to the textile, with the result that a very large portion of the bath must necessarily be renewed in order to obtain satisfactory results.

Even in those known processes where the textile is treated in chambers through which the bath is forced, difliculties exist arising from a lack of homogeneity of the solution of the bath and in consequence an irregularity of action between the solution and the textile, more particularly, due to the shape of said chambers through which the textile is guided, the bath flows in coincidence with the textile and only restricted layers of the bath are brought into contact with the article while peripheral zones of the bath are never brought into contact with the textile article.

It is an object of the present invention to cause improved contact between the textile article and the bath such that all portions of the bath are made to contact the article. It is a further object of the invention to provide that the major portion of the treating substance in the bath make contact with the article under treatment, by establishing a system of flow for the fluid such that said fluid is made to obliquely contact the textile article at certain intervals to thus facilitate contact of the molecular components of the bath with the textile article, thereby resulting in a greater efiicacy of treatment.

The present invention contemplates the treatment of the textile article in zones where the fluid is diverted into branches with relation to the article being treated, so that the fluid is caused to first flow away from the article and then contact the article at an angle which may be selected according to the texture of the material and the particular treatment being applied.

In order to equilibrate the impinging action on the textile caused by the obliquity of contact, two symmetrical paths of the liquid are provided, so that two liquid streams strike the textile at opposite sides and at equal angles, creating turbulent zones on opposite sides of the article whereat a thoroughly admixed fluid is brought into contact with the article under treatment.

If desirable a succession of turbulent zones may be arranged in the same treatment chamber, thus increasing the activity of the bath on the textile to any desired degree.

In order to keep flow energy losses of the bath at the lowest possible level, it is important to provide a smooth transition for the bath as the latter flows into the deviate paths thereof.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the embodi- .ments of the invention shown in the attached drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional view of a treatment chamber according to the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view of the treatment chamber of FIG. 1 partly broken away and in section;

FIGURE 3 is a cross section taken along line A-A in FIGURE 2, and

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a treatment chamber with the lateral cover removed to show the arrangement of the separator elements.

The treating chamber includes a pair of spaced elongated plates 14 which are symmetrically arranged. The

plates include flat opposed parallel portions 15 and opposed outwardly curved transverse portions 16 defining a widened zone 17 for the chamber. Between the plates there is defined a treatment chamber 3 in which textile material 5 to be treated is advanced upwardly as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. A treatment fluid is concurrently advanced downwardly in the treating chamber 3 to contact and eflect treatment of the textile article. The fluid and textile article therefore are in counterflow with one another.

In the widened zone 17 of the chamber there are arranged a pair of spaced transverse separators 6, 7. The

separators include respective flat portions 18, 19 which face one another and define a space 4 therebetween of suflicient dimension to permit the passage of the textile material therebetween. The separators further comprise curved portions 20, 21 which define with the curved portions 16 of the plates 14, curved passageways 1, 2 of substantially uniform section which are isolated from the space 4 between the flat portions 18, 19 of the separators. The curved passageways 1, 2 constitute branch paths for the flow of the treatment fluid so that at least a portion of the fluid is constrained to pass in the passageways 1, 2. The remaining portion of the fluid passes through the central passageway 4 in contact with the textile article 5. The separators extend transversely across the treating chamber for the entire width of the widened zone, as best I seen in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The separators 6, 7 include portions 8, 9 of smooth aerodynamic shape which connect the flat portions 18, 19 of the separators with respective curved portions 20, 21. The portions 8, 9 provide for a smooth transition of flow of the treatment fluid into the passageways 1, 2 and minimize energy losses. The portions 8, 9 also provide for a smooth entrance of the treatment fluid into the passageways 1, 2 avoiding any abrupt change of direction of the fluid. The angle formed between the entrance to the passageway and the plane of the material being treated is preferably less than the angle formed between the exit of the passageway and the plane of the material. It is contemplated that the treating liquid Will be diverted into the passageways 1, 2 to flow along a path isolated from the textile article whereafter the treating fluid will be once again brought into contact with the article 5 at the exit of passageways 1 and 2 where a turbulence will be developed and'the treating fluid made to intimately contact the article 5. It is desirable that a large velocity component normal to the article 5 be provided at the exit of the passageway to improve the desirable turbulent action and efiect thorough admixing of the fluid. By virtue of the energetic mixing of the treatment fluid, a more thorough treatment of the article will be obtained.

It is within the contemplation of the invention to provide for an assymmetrical or offset arrangement or" the separators 6, 7 both in a direction parallel to the plane of the material and in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the material.

The separators 6, 7 define means in the treating chamber both defining a space 4 through which the textile article may be advanced while also defining branches 1, 2 for the isolated passage of at least a portion of the treating fluid first away from the textile article and then back into contact with the textile article at an oblique angle with respect to said article.

' 'The treating chamber may be provided with a succession of widened zones 17 in which corresponding separators 6, 7 are accommodated. By this arrangement successive diversions of the treating fluids are provided and more thorough action of the treating fluid on the textile article 5 is provided.

According to the illustrated embodiment of the separators 6, 7 they are hollow and have respective walls 10, 11 of uniform thickness defining respective interior hollow spaces 12, 13'.

As has been indicated above, the treating fluid and textile article are advanced in opposite directions in counterflow with one another. This velocity of the treating fluid can be varied in known manner by means of force pumps or by gravity.

Numerous modifications and variations can be made with respect to the disclosed embodiments by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

.1. Apparatus for treating a textile article comprising means defining a treating chamber through which the textile article is adapted to be advanced simultaneously with the passage of a treating fluid in countercurrent through said chamber, and stationary means fixed in said chamber defining a space through which the textile article may be advanced and also defining a plurality of branches for the isolated passage of treating fluid on opposite sides of the textile article first away from the textile article via a smooth transition zone and then back into contact wih the textile article at an oblique angle with respect to said article.

2. Apparatus'for treating a textile article comprising a treating chamber including a pair of spaced plates defining therebetween a main passageway for the passage of a flat textile article, said plates including local opposed outward bulges defining a widened zone in said chamber, and a pair of stationary spaced separator elements fixed in said chamber in said widened zone thereof and between which the textile article is adapted to be advanced, each separator element respectively defining with an associated plate a curved branch passageway which is in communication with the main passageway at either end of the widened zone, the curved branch passageways being isolated from one another in the widened zone and constituting a deviate path for treatment tfluid which is adapted or being passed through the treating chamber in countercurrent with the textile article.

3. Apparatus for treating a textile article comprising means defining a treating chamber through which the textile article is adapted to be advanced in countercurrent with a treating fluid, and stationary means fixed in said chamber defining a space through which the textile article may be advanced and including means defining branches for the passage of the treating fluid on opposite sides of the textile article first away from the textile article and then back into contact with the textile article and means for smoothly diverting treating fluid into said branches.

4. A treating chamber for the treatment of a textile article by contact of said article with a treating fluid, said chamber comprising a pair of spaced opposed symmetrical plate, said plates including fiat parallel portions and opposed outwardly curved portions defining a widened zone for said chamber, and a pair of spaced separators symmetrically arranged between said plates in the widened zone of the chamber, said separators including flat portions facing one another and defining a space therebetween extending in parallel relation with the flat portions of the plates, and curved portions extending from the flat por tions along curved paths corresponding to the curved portions of the plates such that a curved passageway is for-med between the curved portion of each plate and the curved portion of the associated separator, which curved passageway is isolated from the space between the flat portionsof the separators.

5. A treating chamber as claimed in claim 4 wherein the curved portions of the plates and the separators have the same curvature to define passageways of substantially uniform section.

6. A treating chamber as claimed in claim 4 comprising portions of smooth aerodynamic shape connecting the fiat portions and the curved portions of the separators to define a smooth transition between the space between the flat plates, and the said passageways whereby the flow of fluid from the space between the plates to the passageways will be accompanied with minimum loss of flow energy.

7. A treating chamber as claimed in claim 4 wherein said separators are hollow and have walls of substantially uniform thickness.

8. A treating chamber for the treatment of a textile article by contact with a treating fluid, said chamber comprising a pair of spaced elongated plates symmetrically arranged about a plane of symmetry, said plates including flat opposed parallel portions, and opposed outwardly curved transverse portions defining a widened zone for said chamber, and a pair of spaced transverse separators symmetrically arranged between said plates in the widened zone of the chamber, said separators including flat portions facing one another and defining a space therebetween, curved portions extending from the flat portions along curved paths having the same curvature as that of the curved portions of the plates to define therewith curved passageways ofsubstantially uniform section which are isolated irom the space between the flat portions of the separators, and portions of smooth aerodynamic shape connecting the flat portions and the smooth portions of the separators to define a smooth transition for each passageway from a zone between the plane of symmetry and the associated flat portion of the plate and a zone corresponding to the beginning of the particular curved passageway whereby when a textile article is longitudinally advanced in said treating chamber substantially along the axis of symmetry and a treating fluid is concurrently caused to longitudinally flow in the treating chamber, a portion of the treating fluid will be symmetrically diverted to said passageways, via said smooth transitions and with little energy loss, and return towards said plane of symobliquely.

5 metry and the textile article thereat to contact the article 2,516,268 2,558,734- 2,674,113 References Cited by the Examiner 2,779,183 UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 2,782,623 3,128,616 11/1929 Cohoe.

2/1933 Heap 8-151 7/ 1948 Williams 8-151 6 Spalding e a1. 68175 Cr-esswell 68181 Schrenk 68-175 Fornelli 68-175 Coe et a1. 68-181 Giani 68-62 IRVING BUNEVICH, Primary Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR TREATING A TEXTILE ARTICLE COMPRISING MEANS DEFINING A TREATING CHAMBER THROUGH WHICH THE TEXTICLE ARTICLE IS ADAPTED TO BE ADVANCED SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH THE PASSAGE OF A TREATING FLUID IN COUNTERCURRENT THROUGH SAID CHAMBER, AND STATIONARY MEANS FIXED IN SAID CHAMBER DEFINING A SPACE THROUGH WHICH THE TEXTILE ARTICLE MAY BE ADVANCED AND ALSO DEFINING A PLURALITY OF BRANCHES FOR THE ISOLATED PASSAGE OF TREATING FLUID ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE TEXTILE ARTICLE FIRST AWAY FROM THE TEXTILE ARTICLE VIA A SMOOTH TRANSITION ZONE AND THEN BACK INTO CONTACT WITH THE TEXTILE ARTICLE AT AN OBLIQUE ANGLE WITH RESPECT TO SAID ARTICLE. 